The 100 returns with old Ark ghost stories, an abandoned town, and forgotten foes to scare viewers in “Demons.” After saving Raven (Lindsey Morgan) in the previous episode, our ragtag crew return to Arkadia to retrieve Lincoln’s old notebook – hopefully the key to find Luna. This installment is virtually a stand-alone horror episode that could be seen as filler until the reveal about who the grounder is hunting down our crew. The writers continue to remind us about the strength found in Bellamy (Bob Morley) and Clarke (Eliza Taylor) when they work as a team. Meanwhile back in Polis, Murphy (Richard Harmon) has a few bittersweet reunions with his lost love, Emori (Luisa D’Oliveira) and then with his former Chancellor Jaha (Isiah Washington). Overall, the hunt for Luna plotline advances forward, as A.L.I.E. (Erica Cerra) seizes a real power position, and the episode offers us a small break in the normal melodrama with a few intense horror sequences. The following are my top five “Demons” takeaway points:
#5. Harper & Miller
I am turning into a huge platonic shipper of the friendship between Miller (Jarod Joseph) and Harper (Chelsey Reist). “Like demons do,” explains Miller as he finishes up retelling an old Ark ghost story to both Harper and his boyfriend Brian (Jonathan Whitesell). They stayed behind during the prisoner exchange between Kane and Pike back in “Fallen.” Now Bellamy and the others are on their way to pick them up, until a masked grounder appears and takes them all hostage. This whole sequence works to both set up a simple plot mystery and explain to viewers that this will be a unique episode; it’s like “Demons” was written to air as a Halloween special. Now back to my current favorite BroTP between Harper and Miller. They share a bond that is akin to the one between their leaders Bellamy and Clarke. I am happy to see their story continue as they remain behind to protect the others in Arkadia.
#4. Grief Bonds
“It gets better,” reminds Jasper to Octavia (Marie Avgeropoulos) as she returns to Lincoln’s cabin for the first time following his death in “Stealing Fire.” All the way back in “Wanheda Part 2” Octavia comforts Jasper when he breaks down during his return to Mount Weather; now he returns the favor. Marie Avgeropoulos does a superb job balancing the warrior façade with small moments of grief throughout this episode, “A warrior doesn’t mourn until the war itself is over.” This really took me back to the first season when Jasper had a crush on Octavia – they’ve been through a lot together and now are able help each other with their grief. During the closing sequence Octavia lights the fire to properly send off Lincoln, and then after a moment of silence decides that it’s time for the group to leave Arkadia. Both Octavia and Jasper decide to tag along with Bellamy and Clarke in their mission to find Luna, leaving the others behind; including Monty (Christopher Larkin). I suppose not everyone can return to normal, even though Monty could really use a friend since killing his mother in the previous episode. Throughout “Demons” we see a very unsettled Monty continue to catch fleeting moments of hope as the team learns more about both artificial intelligent programs. Like I said before not everything can be undone.
#3. Seek Higher Things 
“Asende superius” the Latin phrase that activates A.L.I.E. 2.0 meaning “to seek higher things,” explains Sinclair (Alessandro Juliani). I really enjoyed these scenes between the entire team as they try to learn more about both A.L.I.E. and Becca; the original commander, “A.L.I.E. 2.0. She saw it as a way to atone for her sins,” explains Raven while reading an old journal. Atonement. Well our central characters can all relate to that pathos, as they are each reaching for a similar goal – all in their own ways. Bellamy is trying to make up for the grounder slaughter back in “Hakeldama” and Clarke is still seeking penance for the mountain men genocide. Now let’s talk about the tragic death of a character that I really didn’t see coming – Sinclair’s. Too bad he hasn’t been prominent until the past few episodes. His final moments circle back to the exchange between him and Raven in “Ye Who Enter Here,” as they share a very father/daughter-like relationship. Following a really well executed night-vision goggle sequence, Sinclair bleeds out while Raven is dragged away into captivity with the others. His final moments were spent watching her being dragged away, having Raven slip right through his fingers after his struggle to keep her safe. Oh Sinclair, may we meet again.
#2. Emerson’s Return
Lt. Carl Emerson (Toby Levins) makes his final appearance in the series as our very own vengeful last mountain man. The demonic grounder who captures Harper, Miller, and Bryan at the top of the episode soon begins to apprehend each crew member one at a time. I honestly didn’t expect to see Emerson anytime soon, ever since Clarke decided not to sentence him to death in “Bitter Harvest.” When both Monty and Clarke are attacked, he uses the red gas cans to knock her unconscious; oh, it’s a mountain man! It’s Emerson! The writers continue to retrace his history with Clarke, as he locks up her friends in the very airlock she kept him in during “Rubicon.” The writers follow up Clarke seeking forgiveness from Jasper (Devon Bostick) in “Nevermore,” with her finally putting an end to the Mountain Men haunting her. Emerson goes out in spectacular fashion as Clarke says her last words to trigger A.L.I.E. 2.0, and the computer chip kills him after pushing itself into his spinal cord. Well, that’s one demon down and one possessive, self-righteous computer program to go.
#1. All Hail A.L.I.E.
Attention people of Polis… a woman in a red dress is in the throne room. A.L.I.E. has finally claimed the grounder throne after her disciples easily convince Ontari (Rhiannon Fish) that it’s the best alternative to not receiving the commander’s flame. Murphy may have been able to prevent her from falling for Jaha’s pitch had he not sold her out to a chipped Emori. “He’s a fraud but he does have knowledge that could be useful to all of us,” explains Jaha to Ontari after they send Murphy to a holding cell. Now the question is – what does Murphy know that makes him powerful enough to stick around? Also, Jaha… why didn’t you force Murphy to take the chip, like you did with Abby? I really hope that Murphy ends up being the one to truly save everyone from A.L.I.E., considering how he began the season stuck in that safe house watching Becca’s old home videos. He’s an unbeliever, a delinquent, and still an outcast from the original hundred Skaicru; now at the end of the third season he could become their real savior.
Twt me your The 100 season 3 theories @sjbelmont